By Hook or By Crook - a case study by members of Wimborne Community Theatre (WCT)

How did By Hook or By Crook come about?

We discovered that in order to succeed, we needed to latch onto a key event and/or partners. Last year we teamed up with English Nature for first time at Hambledon Hill, North Dorset. This proved very successful. With significant logistical challenges, we decided to look for a site closer to home.
English Nature indicated that they would welcome working with us again and initially suggested Holt Heath or Holt Forest, because these sites fulfilled our local criteria and a WCT group survey revealed an interest in a forest/wood site.

The first site visit by the steering group took place at the beginning of September 2003. We rejected the heath and agreed to focus on the wood. This was because we had had some ideas about using a wood over several years, but not come across a suitable location. Furthermore, EN was developing a long - term plan for the forest, so we could achieve a confluence of art and the environment.

To maintain core group contact, while the practicalities for the next project were being sorted out, we arranged a number of workshops. The other purposes of these were to develop skills and attract new members. Workshops held were; drama, movement, singing & voice. A social event in December was also organised.

Sept. - Whilst we were considering a site, we were also looking into funding opportunities. In 2001/02 we had obtained an Awards for All grant of £5,000. However, for some time, we had been considering a more ambitious approach, to make better use of the research that we undertake in these projects, using e.g. a Heritage Grant. In addition, we also considered approaching East Dorset District Council.

Dec. - put in final version of LHI grant application for £19,447 with £46,000 estimated for contributions in kind. The grant was not just for putting on the production. As mentioned, we wanted to do things with the research that would otherwise ‘go to waste’. The budget included costs for expert advice and equipment e.g. display equipment and a digital camera. The major costs being for fees and technical input. This was not just about staging a production but more:

To raise awareness of the natural and cultural heritage of the area of Holt Forest, through involving local people in organising and staging an artistic event promoting the environmental and historic heritage of the forest, as well as local customs, tradition and life used appropriately in the event. The performance was to be videoed and copies held in museums and libraries and a CD-rom produced.

The results that we needed to achieve this were:

• The performance
• An exhibition
• Video/CD rom
• Education pack of learning material
• Publicity material including website development on LHI site

Nov. - We received a response on our initial draft grant application and had a meeting with the Countryside Agency, which was very positive. We applied to EDDC for a grant of £750 and £200 from EN, who by now had given formal approval for the project,

Jan. - Pressure on, due to knowing that we would have to start working at risk, since anything done on the project before grant approval was not eligible.

Feb. - LHI funding approved at end of month & EDDC approved – full steam ahead.

June - 1st quarterly report on project.

Mid Sept. -To take the matter forward we needed to have a meeting with the core membership, the aim being to let group have input into whether the proposal of Holt Forest was a good one. We had found out that although most locals were aware of the forest, not many entered it and we had also discovered a theme of being lost (foreign student and family). We were also finding out about the history of the forest and the current plans EN were introducing.

The themes for the workshops could now be considered and were based around myths and stories of woods and forests, activities over time and the concepts of ownership and boundaries, let alone other historical events as well as the relevance of the forest today and for the future.

Nov. – We approached the local First School, St James, to attract the teachers to the group and encourage local children to be involved.

Dec. - We advertised in the local media & put up posters in local venues e.g. church, village hall, pub, for a public meeting at Holt village hall with Ian Nicol (EN) as the speaker on the forest and with a promotion for the project. We also started talking to Tracy Cooper at EDDC about linking into her plans for spring half-term, from which we hoped to get a core young group whose ideas could be used in the production.

Provided dates to existing group members with parental consent form incorporated & commitment list as problems with people not coming to rehearsals. Tried to do this with the new recruits as well.

Jan. – A serious start was made on the involvement of the local community - meeting on 29th. The weather was against us. Only about 10 attended, other than the WCT group. However, someone did come from Poole with a family tree going back to the 18th.century. For community involvement this was a pretty inauspicious start. But not downhearted, we knew it was important to be sensitive about coming into a community and we knew that we needed to tap into existing groups to be accepted.

Tracy was keen to progress with 2 days of workshops leading to involvement in the play. To encourage involvement, WCT also offered to subsidize a number of spaces (10) to encourage inclusivity.

- Considered a launch “picnic in the wood”, but decided that a more targeted approach might be better; a role for the project coordinator. We also confirmed interest from the TOPS reps; a group of adults with learning disabilities, with whom WCT had worked in partnership before.

Visit to school confirmed. The proposal was to involve the children, with 2 days facilitation paid for by WCT, to develop ideas, which might be taken forward at half-term workshops – hoping that there might be continuity of attendance as well.

April – Franny (Project coordinator) on board and liaising with Tracy about publicity for half-term workshops and finalising arrangements for school workshops. Found out that Priest House Museum was doing a project on local dialects and would be interested in our interviews. Asked for space on village hall notice board to advertise progress.

May - Workshops in school took place, with Ian Nicol also taking children for walk in forest. Strong Hansel and Gretel themes emerged with no prompting. We attended the PTA day at school to advertise project and got local volunteer interest.

A Press release gave an opening into the Monday Club. Reminiscences were recorded and the session was very successful. A presentation was also given at the Parish Council’s annual meeting (stepped into breach at short notice). The members were very supportive, providing snippets of information as well as advising of concerns e.g. car parking.

A display was mounted at Holtwood Methodist Church Centenary Exhibition. They were very welcoming and individuals were happy to talk. The Sisterhood confirmed stories e.g. of gypsies and playing in the wood as children and talked about Walt Coffin. A woman told her story of living 30 years in the village, having moved about 5 miles, and still being seen as an outsider.

The publicised open rehearsal was very poorly attended; the only person to turn up was one who was thought to be the individual making wood circle sculptures. At this point it is worth noting, that there were different opinions in the community, regarding the use of the forest. Gill and I marked the trees etc to go and, as part of the EN plan for cutting understorey, they cut them down. One local was particularly vociferous in his objections about this.
Started rehearsals in the forest. Casting to be finalised. Some singers were “imported” by the musical director also to be in the cast.

Half-term workshops oversubscribed, but very successful. However it would have been better to have had more helpers on both days.

Picnic for the children and young people– a couple of weeks after the performances, we had an after show picnic for the children and parents. A certificate of achievement was given to each child.

June – volunteer able to co-ordinate children and get adult helpers from parents for performances. As a local she was able to do door knocking to advertise & explain project. People living in vicinity were advised about the play and were helpful in storing the gypsy caravan loaned from the County Council. They were also invaluable in drumming up support and participation for the Fair at beginning of play. A contact at Holtwood Church was approached to borrowed tables from the church. These were kindly delivered and stored and by a local builder/church member.

A real gypsy issue emerged, regarding their relationship with local residents, when a group of travelers settled close to the forest, for a short time.

July - Parents helping with kids at performance.
Evaluation – very lucky that Susan Willoughby volunteered to do an evaluation of the children, their parents and new members to the core WCT group. Read out some extracts. Also did audience evaluation & WCT cast. Identified things that went well and those that could do better.

Oct. - We knew that one of our weaknesses was doing things at the last minute. I produced a project plan going up to the performance dates and beyond in an attempt to give milestones of where we needed to be by when. Unfortunately, it still did not make much difference to how things operated on the ground in the end. This was partly due to circumstances and the confirmation of funding not coming through until the end of February. Until that point, we had been thinking that if we did not get a grant we could do a scaled down version.

Things were kept together by; regular meetings, both formal and informal, after rehearsals and the organisation of those meetings – agenda & notes, actions and clear responsibilities. Email was absolutely essential.

Nov. – The steering group considered the possibility of moving away from original work and using existing material from drama, poetry and songs, with a creative group pulling together the ideas for the rest of the group to action.

Feb. - At this point we were hopeful that two weekly rehearsals up to half - term and weekly rehearsals to the end of term, would be sufficient to produce material to use to finalise the script by the end of May. We started to video work at rehearsals, including activities on the visit to the forest to try out some areas identified by the steering group in 2003.

April - Still to finalise actual location!! Decided this month. On visit to the forest, came across circles made of wood. Wanted to get hold of person doing this to interview him/her. Difficulties in setting meeting for creative group

May – So much material!

June - Decided to use some of excess material as cameos, which the audience would see, as they moved from one scene to the next. Dilemma for Director in finalising core group casting, due to the nature of the production and feeling the need to make sure all had reasonable parts.

Sept. – We have continued to use one of the founding directors, but discussed the possibility of attracting an external director.

Nov. – We knew that we would need to attract others to join, if we were going to succeed in a larger event. We started to consider a number of issues and immediately set up a research group. We used knowledge from EDHT (Alan Wilson), to make contact with local Holt people to join this group. It met 3 times, from January to March 2004 and gave a good foundation of information for the artistic group to follow up, including records from the County archive, the Priest House museum, contact with the local parish magazine Village Voices and interviews with local people from families who had lived in the area for generations.

We wanted to advertise for an artistic director to give Tony a break and have a change. With the uncertainties of grant etc we decided we couldn’t advertise this yet.

Dec. - We tried at this time to get some administrative support from ex-members of WCT to help. Unfortunately, this was not successful due to other commitments. We hoped that we might get someone local and approached the school. If need be, we accepted that we might have to advertise more widely.

Jan. - Draft JD for expert advisers together with recruitment advertising and interviews. Working with children we knew that we needed to be careful about covering all aspects – CRB checked, insurance, risk assessment etc.

Feb. - Head teacher had agreed to put up poster for admin support, but no response. Also advertised in Holt. Adverts for experts placed in local media, to Common Ground, and those on DAPF database, including individual approaches to contacts. Agreed that it was too late to try to bring in an external artistic director. We agreed that there should be a visual artist and a musical director, who together with the artistic director would form the artistic group working in collaboration. We would also need professional dance and movement input.

March - We interviewed; Visual artist, Musical director and Project coordinator. Concern re. lack of local coordinator applicants.

April – Those to be paid appointed. Hand over of media contacts (& other information e.g.’s of mags., as she didn’t know them) and work requirements to Franny.

May – Visual artist withdrew. Needed to find alternative really quickly. Had contact from Bournemouth Arts Institute and appointed Tom Hall. We liked the ideas he shared, utilising the children to produce little clay models to be placed along paths and using wood and shaping areas for scenes.

The idea of a Creative group did not work and the bulk of the pressure fell on the director and Gill, who was assisting in writing the script.

Publicity attracted Adrian Newton, a woodland ecologist based at Bournemouth University and also a sonic artist. He ended up in the cast and has produced a CD of rehearsals, sounds of forest and the performance. The challenge was making sure he didn’t miss anyone out.

A volunteer was identified to make the costumes. The beauty of site specific performances, is that staging and props tend to be minimal. The major challenge was lighting a good length of the path for the audience at the end of the play. It was achieved with tea-lights in jars, which had been covered with leaves held on with masking tape. These were placed strategically giving a magical effect, remarked on by many. Also until June we were still considering trying to incorporate a horse, to be used in the cameo of the lost student.

Choreographer appointed.

Feb. – Press release about this, dates of performance into EDHT next mail out, leaflet to go to Holt groups based on list compiled by Research group.

April - Project logo devised.

June – leaflets, posters delivered with Village Voices. Posters put up in Village and strategic locations in surrounding villages/towns.

Confirmation regarding accessibility on site, was very important at this point.

July – pre/post performance.

June - H & S – encounter with ticks. Already issued guidance, but horror when we started comparing who had the most ticks (and where)! Some went to hospital to get them removed.

Rehearsals now held at weekends, but the timetable frustrating for people due to hanging about. There were logistical issues, because of the distance between scenes. A system now in place for booking in young people (25), but the adult cast and teenagers to look after them during rehearsals.

Weather turned. Impact. Audience numbers grew, though 100 was originally the target. Issues of audience being too big, when working in sites; need to have awareness and length of time it takes to move them.

Consents – using environment, parental (including photos)

Working with artists – in school & half-term workshops

Empowering cast – developing themes which turned into scenes

Insurance – very difficult to explain why you need insurance when project in embryonic stages and that it has not got 4 walls etc.

Working with nature/outdoors – ticks, wasps nest.

H & S – risk assessment is really important when we have got youngsters around.

Protection, storage of costumes/props – hired van for the week, several drivers, off site during performance & back at end.

Site accessibility & safety, car parking, signage, links with locals, volunteer stewards – all were important for cast & audience. EN were invaluable in liaising re. car-parking in the field and all these aspects. Even had to consider whether to have toilets and where to site them.

Regarding ticket sales, programmes and providing a treasurer – EDHT again were invaluable in providing these roles.

Use of recording equipment:
Used and involved group in using them, but could have done more, needed to be better organised and not forget to bring them. Need to develop skill in using results.

Rehearsals:
Excellent commitment, but the sessions could have been better targeted. A negative was when members of the cast did not turn up to rehearsals.

Recruitment:
Co-ordination - Used local volunteer from May to support, particularly in coordinating the children. Learnt; not use people who aren't locals, to have tighter control on activities and to view them as part of the group.
Village store - Very supportive

Recording sessions:
Regarding contingencies - Important to have booked venues in case of rain for rehearsals. Agreed that if rained still do in situ unless unsafe, wouldn’t work indoors (needed to convince coordinator that this was case).

1. Successful funding – can we get it again? Do we have the energy?
2. How do we deal with larger audiences? Do we restrict them? How do you do this in public open space?
3. Do we have a big enough core group to allow for turnover & continuity?
4. How do we attract people without frightening them off?
5. How do we keep it fresh?
6. Time scale very tight, but feedback from core group indicated that more traditional community play model was not attractive i.e. over a 2 year period. How do we sustain model?

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